The weekend stretched ahead like a blank page—an invitation, perhaps, to make sense of a city that had begun to feel like home, but which still held layers I had yet to uncover.
Beautiful. Love this one Nico. You found a side of Guangzhou I didn't ever find!
I highly recommend Jack Weatherford's new book, Empire of the Seas, where he talks of the trade that went on during Kublai Khan's conquering of, and subsequent rule of, greater China. Fascinating reading that delves into the deep heritage we owe to the Mongolians for establishing world trade centuries ago.
Look forward to your next adventure, retold here. :)
Thank you so much for your kind words—and for the book recommendation! That sounds exactly like the sort of history I love to dive into. I'm fascinated by these stories of migration and the unexpected threads that connect people across cultures.
Another chapter of China's history I find really intriguing is the story of the Jews of Kaifeng. Have you ever come across that one?
I met a group of Kaifeng Jewish people once in Israel and they seemed to know little about the religion—similar to how the Ethiopian Jewish community has a few traditions in common but is more doing its own thing. But I’m curious too if Debbie or any other readers have experienced this community firsthand in Kaifeng.
In Guangzhou? No, there were no traditional caravanserais. I believe foreign traders at the time lived in special quarters set aside by the Tang authorities, complete with warehouses, mosques, and markets by the banks of the Pearl River. These were the maritime cousins of the Silk Road caravanserais.
I've not encountered the Hui tradition in Guangzhou, this was a welcome surprise! We are synced again, the Tianjin series starting this week contains a lot of Hui traditions, temples, and foods. MY wife has Hui ancestry.
Thanks, Paul! The Hui presence in Guangzhou isn’t as visible as in, say, the Northwest, but it’s definitely there if you dig. Fascinating to know of your wife's Hui ancestry! I'm looking forward to reading your Tianjin stories; it sounds like we’ll be exploring some of the same threads from different corners of China.
Just a suggestion here: a picture of your bowl would help readers understand the food better.
Chinese culture isn't as monolithic as it appears at first glance. Almost every ancient cities have Muslim quarters and mosques. For instance, in Nanjing, my hometown, there used to be a Ma And a Ha family lived on our streets and both families had peacefully comingled with Han Chinese for generations. For those travelers interested in the influence of Muslim culture in mainland China, check out kosher restaurants first and branch out from there. BTW, two century -old Muslim restaurants exist in Nanjing. My favorite is the one close to the city museum.
Great question! My understanding is that most mosques simply had a small sign saying "Muslims Only" or something similar. It was more about respecting an understood boundary than anyone actively checking. Being a foreigner, it would have been assumed I wasn’t Muslim unless I made it known otherwise. Dress wasn’t markedly different either—everyday clothing was pretty standard—but many of the Muslim men wore white caps, which was one of the few visible signs I was only just learning to notice.
When I visited, the doors were closed and the sign was clear. I accepted the boundary respectfully and didn’t intrude, even though I was curious. I think that sums up my approach to China more generally: to take every step with respect, and to accept the things I couldn’t do or see, being a visitor.
Beautiful. Love this one Nico. You found a side of Guangzhou I didn't ever find!
I highly recommend Jack Weatherford's new book, Empire of the Seas, where he talks of the trade that went on during Kublai Khan's conquering of, and subsequent rule of, greater China. Fascinating reading that delves into the deep heritage we owe to the Mongolians for establishing world trade centuries ago.
Look forward to your next adventure, retold here. :)
Thank you so much for your kind words—and for the book recommendation! That sounds exactly like the sort of history I love to dive into. I'm fascinated by these stories of migration and the unexpected threads that connect people across cultures.
Another chapter of China's history I find really intriguing is the story of the Jews of Kaifeng. Have you ever come across that one?
I met a group of Kaifeng Jewish people once in Israel and they seemed to know little about the religion—similar to how the Ethiopian Jewish community has a few traditions in common but is more doing its own thing. But I’m curious too if Debbie or any other readers have experienced this community firsthand in Kaifeng.
No, havent been blessed to step foot in Kaifeng yet!
All you need is plov :)
Are there caravanserais near where you are? Or the remains of them?
In Guangzhou? No, there were no traditional caravanserais. I believe foreign traders at the time lived in special quarters set aside by the Tang authorities, complete with warehouses, mosques, and markets by the banks of the Pearl River. These were the maritime cousins of the Silk Road caravanserais.
I've not encountered the Hui tradition in Guangzhou, this was a welcome surprise! We are synced again, the Tianjin series starting this week contains a lot of Hui traditions, temples, and foods. MY wife has Hui ancestry.
Thanks, Paul! The Hui presence in Guangzhou isn’t as visible as in, say, the Northwest, but it’s definitely there if you dig. Fascinating to know of your wife's Hui ancestry! I'm looking forward to reading your Tianjin stories; it sounds like we’ll be exploring some of the same threads from different corners of China.
Great travelogue, Nico.
Just a suggestion here: a picture of your bowl would help readers understand the food better.
Chinese culture isn't as monolithic as it appears at first glance. Almost every ancient cities have Muslim quarters and mosques. For instance, in Nanjing, my hometown, there used to be a Ma And a Ha family lived on our streets and both families had peacefully comingled with Han Chinese for generations. For those travelers interested in the influence of Muslim culture in mainland China, check out kosher restaurants first and branch out from there. BTW, two century -old Muslim restaurants exist in Nanjing. My favorite is the one close to the city museum.
Great question! My understanding is that most mosques simply had a small sign saying "Muslims Only" or something similar. It was more about respecting an understood boundary than anyone actively checking. Being a foreigner, it would have been assumed I wasn’t Muslim unless I made it known otherwise. Dress wasn’t markedly different either—everyday clothing was pretty standard—but many of the Muslim men wore white caps, which was one of the few visible signs I was only just learning to notice.
When I visited, the doors were closed and the sign was clear. I accepted the boundary respectfully and didn’t intrude, even though I was curious. I think that sums up my approach to China more generally: to take every step with respect, and to accept the things I couldn’t do or see, being a visitor.